Artificial ankle-joint



0. A, INGEBHIGTSEN.

ARTIFICIAL ANKLE JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I1, I919.

a m R 8 9 0? Y 1 WW M 3 M 2 mM H a A F d n m m H e e 7L 0 P fl 1! A2 2 8 w a 4 A 3 m C 3 WW I 1 Z A OLE A. INGEERIGTSEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ARTIFICIAL ANKLE-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Iiatentetl ltifar. 23, 1.920.

Application filed February 11, 1919. Serial No. 276,269.

To all whom it may comer/1,,-

Be it known that I, OLE A. INennnIe'rsnN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough ct Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Artificial AnkleJoint, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to artificial limbs and has for an object the provision of an improved ankle joint which will permit an independent back and forth swinging move ment in a vertical plane of the foot.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through a foot and ankle of an artificial limb disclosing an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the foot and ankle structure, certain parts being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a section through Fig. 1 on line 3-3.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of the journal members of the joint.

Referring-to the accompanying drawing by numerals, 1 indicates the leg structure which is substantially of the usual form except the lower part which fits into the foot 2. The foot 2 is provided with an encircling or annular flange 3 in which the lower part of the leg 1 moves forwardly and rearwardly pivotally and also sidewise pivotally. The upper part of the foot 2 is cut away for the various parts hereinafter tully described while the lower part of the leg 1 is also cut away for accommodating certain parts. The principle or central part of the ankle oint are the journal members 4 and 5, which are welded or otherwise rigidly secured together, and which are preferably tubular so as to present an ample exterior bearing surface and yet not present an unnecessarily heavy structure. These journal members are arranged at right angles to each other and the upper journal member 4 acts as the journal member for the foot 2 when swing ing fore and aft, while the lower journal member 5 acts as the journal member when the foot 2 is swinging laterally. Journal member 4: is pressed tightly against antifriction member 6 which may be of leather or other suitable material, said anti-friction member 6 pressing against leg 1 by reason of the fact that the anchor bolts 7 and 8 encircle the bar 1 as shown in Fig. 1 and extend upwardly to a given point where they are clamped in place by suitable nuts. It is desired to provide a reasonably tree swinging movement in. two directions at right angles to each other, but it is not desirable to provide any loose motion. The lower bar 5 accommodates the eyes of the bolts 9 and 10, which bolts extend through part of the foot 2 and are held in position by suitable nuts which cause the bar 5 to press against the friction member 11, said friction being made of leather or other suitable material. A notch 12 is provided at the front of the bar 5 in which felt, or a very yielding rubber member 13 is placed, which is, of course, compressed when the leg 1 is swung forwardly. A comparatively long rubber bumper 14: is arranged in a suitable aperture in foot 2 and continually presses against the leg 1. When swinging the leg 1 rearwardly at the top part the rubber bumper 141- is compressed and takes up the strain. The side movement of the foot 2 is taken up by the rubber cushioning members 15 and 16 arranged beneath each end of the journal member 4:, said cushioning members being fitted into suitable notches in the foot 2. By this construction and arrangement the foot is given a more natural action as it will automatically swing to one side in case a small object is stepped on near one edge. This is also true of the tron t and back more meut of the foot by reason of the cushions 13 and 14. These cushioning members, of course, limit the amount of movement and also resist such movement, the resistance increasing with the degree of movement until the movement stops.

hat I claim is:

1. An artificial ankle comprising a pair of crossed journal members rigidly secured together, meanstor pivotally connecting one journal member to the leg, means for pivotally connecting the opposite journal member to the foot whereby the foot may swing laterally and in a direction at right angles to the lateral swinging movement, cushioning members arc-shaped in cross section ar ranged between said journal members and the ankle and foot, and resilient bumpers arranged in front and rear of said journal members and also on each side thereof for limiting the swinging movement of the foot.

2. An artificial limb comprising the com bination with a leg and foot and a joint swingable in two directions at right angles to each other consisting of a pair of connected cylindrical members crossing each other centrally at right angles, a pair of members attached to the leg having spaced circular bearings surrounding one of said cylindrical members, and a similar pair of Vmembers attached to the foot having spaced circular bearings surrounding the other of said cylindrical members.

3. In a cordless artificial ankle joint the combination with a leg and foot of a cross shaped journal member having arms extending at right angles to each other, a pair of spaced eyebolts loosely fitting over one of said journal members and connected With said leg, a second pair of eyebolts journaled on the other of said members connected with said foot, an arc-shaped anti-friction m'ember arranged below said last mentioned journal member, an arc-shaped anti-friction member arranged above the first mentioned journal member, a pair of rubber bumpers mounted in said foot and continually pressing against the opposite ends of said first mentioned journal member, a cushioning member arranged at the front of said cross shaped journal members, and a second cushioning member arranged at the rear of said cross-shaped journal members, said cushionmg members being carried by said foot and pressmg against sald leg.

OLE A. INGEBRIGTSEN. 

